Stranger: Working Title
by The Mighty Duck
Summary: In an attempt to get Nosedive to become himself again after an accident leaves Wildwing in a coma, Mallory takes Nosedive on a shopping trip. Sounds stupid I know but hopefully, it's better than it sounds.
1. Chapter 1

Hi everyone!

This is the first story I have ever posted up on FanFiction. I never planned to but after some encouragement from FishyFloat, I've decided to take the plunge :). Thanks FishyFloat!

This is just part one of a story. I'm really not sure where it is going. I hope you like it. :) :) :)

It had been years since Mallory had used commercial transport. In school years, her father had always driven her to her classes in order to spend time with her since he was often taken away by military business. When she herself joined the military upon turning eighteen, she was granted a learner's license because, being a cadet, it was required to know how to drive. Citizens had to wait until they were twenty before they could get a learner's permit then get their full license when they turned twenty-one, an official adult.

While learning how to drive, a military personnel accompanied her and she was always sanctioned a military vehicle to use. So, all in all, she wouldn't have caught a taxi or travelled on a bus since she was five and went on shopping trips with her mother.

She hadn't missed it a bit.

She straightened herself up in the hard seat of the bus and tried to ignore it when her hand brushed against something sticky. She also tried to ignore the girl behind her who was consistently and loudly chewing gum with her mouth wide open. Every so often, the girl would feel the need to blow a bubble with the gum and let it pop with a resounding snap. The girl was sometimes drowned out by two teenage boys in the pair of seats in front of Mallory who were in a heated discussion of whether six subwoofers were appropriate for a car sound system or if eight were required. But the hard thing was, when she tried to tune out them, all she could hear were two old ladies, approximately from Methuselah's time, across the aisle from her. Their conversation consisted of all the operations they'd had in the past year or so, described in great detail.

She squirmed in her seat, trying to get comfortable but found it was an impossible mission. Behind her, the girl blew a bubble with her gum, popped it, beckoned it back in her mouth and proceeded to chew again. Was it just Mallory or did she seem to be getting even more obnoxious than before?

In an attempt to block out the passengers of the bus, she turned to her companion, hoping for a distraction through conversation.

With his face scrunched up into a permanent scowl, arms defiantly crossed, Nosedive drove his point home that he didn't want to be here and may as well have been waving a sign around that said, "Speak to me and you die."

So much for the distraction.

Mallory sighed. More and more, she was starting to gain the feeling that this wasn't such a great idea. To take Nosedive shopping when he was happy was living hell. But to take him looking for clothes when his brother was in hospital in a coma and the teenager had been a mess for weeks? Pure suicide. That's what she told Duke when he'd first suggested it to her. But he made too many good points for her to turn him down.

Nosedive downright refused to go anywhere or do anything that would have the prospect of bringing himself joy. It was like he felt it was a betrayal to Wildwing to enjoy himself when his sibling was ill. So Duke concluded that Mallory should take the teenager somewhere where he thought he wouldn't have fun because it was better than just leaving him to grieve in the Pond and that Nosedive would agree to go because he didn't see shopping as a thing of enjoyment. Mallory thought the whole thing sounded like a wrong sentence but somehow, Duke predicted it right.

After much persuasion, pleading, full-on begging, and idle threats on Mallory's part, Nosedive reluctantly agreed to go but only on the condition that they would go to a different shopping centre other than the Anaheim Mall and go by public transport. This was a strange obsession of the boy's since Wildwing's injury. He wouldn't travel in the Migrator, Aerowing or any of the regular vehicles the Mighty Ducks had. Mallory didn't have a clue as to why and when asked about it, Nosedive would go silent and not speak until the subject was changed.

'I'm telling you, man. Six subwoofers would be enough to blow your head off in the car. It would make a great brain freeze,' said the teenage boy in front of Mallory who had hair smeared all over one side of his face. How he could even see who he was arguing with was beyond her.

Mallory sighed again. Why was she the one chosen for this mission? Duke had come up with some logical explanation or rather but at the moment, she couldn't care to remember.

'Do you know that when they did my knee operation, they cut me open from my hip all the way to my shin?' said the old lady with impossibly frizzy, white hair.

'You don't say?' croaked her friend with Dame Edna like glasses. 'Well, when I went in to get my kidney stones removed, the doctors insisted on making an incision in my back. I had to stay in there for days! Missed bingo night, you know.'

Mallory internally growled. Behind her, the girl popped her gum again and resumed chewing, even louder than before. So much so that Mallory could hear the spit squelching in her mouth.

'Dude, eight subwoofers would make your ears ring and body throb!' the teenage boy with a mo-hawk exclaimed. 'It would create like, an even better brain freeze, man. Totally awesome!'

The future generation of the free world; Earth had so much to look forward to.

'I think pathedine should be used more often for a pain killer than morphine,' said the Dame Edna lookalike. 'Morphine makes me bloated.'

'True, true,' agreed the lady with frizzy hair who Mallory decided to dub Mad Scientist.

The spit continued to squelch in the girl's mouth.

Mallory grinded her teeth. Closing her eyes, she attempted to do what Grin always said she needed to do: meditate.

'Six!' The whiny proclamation of the gothic teenager interrupted her peaceful thoughts of smashing each annoying bus member to oblivion. She opened her eyes to see the kid with smeared hair and the mo-hawk dude about an inch from each other's face. No longer able to find a good argument to support their opinions as that would have required intelligence, the two teenagers were reduced to more primitive methods for their debate.

'Eight!' screeched the mo-hawk kid.

'Six!'

'Eight!'

'Six!'

Mallory dug her fingers into her armrest, preventing herself from tearing the kids' vocal chords out.

Squelch, squelch, squelch.

She tried to breathe deeply and she found herself gripping the seat harder to make herself stay where she was.

The bus hit a pot hole, making the passengers jerk in their seats.

'Hey, watch it!' screeched Mad Scientist at the bus driver. 'I've just had a hernia done, you know!'

'You don't say?' asked her companion.

Mallory's chest rose up and down as her breathing became more erratic.

Squelch, squelch, squelch.

She formed her hands into fists while her eyes darted wildly about at the continual sources of noise.

'Six!'

'Eight!'

'Six!'

Squelch, squelch, squelch.

'Everyone just shut up!' Mallory blinked. Did she just say that out loud? No, it couldn't be possible. She was more in control of herself than that surely? Looking around at the shocked faces of the passengers, she realized she was not. It also came to her attention that she was standing, fists clenched and body tense.

'I-I beg your pardon, miss?' the bus driver called from the front, glancing back for a split second but quickly turning his attention back to the road.

She didn't reply but instead, just watched in horror at all the staring faces. She froze.

'Miss?' the bus driver prompted. 'Is something wrong?'

Her beak opened and closed at a rapid pace but words failed to come.

A firm hand grabbed her arm and managed to tug her back into her seat.

'Everything's under control here.' She realized it was Nosedive talking. She looked up to see him standing above her, addressing the passengers with ease, looking almost bored. 'She's just been under a lot of stress. Go back to your business.'

Even before he spoke, Mallory could see all the people were already at his feet. Giggles erupted from women ranging from thirteen to sixty at seeing the famous hockey player. Even the men looked thrilled at being this close to the kid who satisfied their Neanderthal needs by watching him smash thugs ten times his size into the sideboards every week. After he spoke, they were just about slobbering at his feet. One girl even blew him a kiss, which he either didn't notice or purely ignored.

'Thank you for clearing that up, sir,' the bus driver called back. Nosedive gave him a brief nod, his face as monotone as his voice.

Plopping back into his seat, Nosedive stared out the window as though nothing happened. Mallory stared at him, not quite sure where to start.

'Uh, thanks for that,' she said, unsure what else to say.

Nosedive shrugged and continued to stare out the window. The action had been so slight she almost missed.

She couldn't help but feel angry at his behaviour. Usually, if he came to her rescue like that, he wouldn't shut up about how brilliant he was and how she wouldn't be able to do without him.

Trying to get him to show some of his old personality, she continued. 'You really helped me out of a tight spot there.'

This time there was no reaction as Nosedive didn't move from his current position. Mallory glared at him. Wasn't he even going to gloat just a little? It was strange. Usually she got annoyed at his pig-headed ways but now she missed it.

She opened her beak to try to get the boy to speak to her but an ecstatic voice stopped her.

'Yo, dude, that's Mallory McMallard.'

She looked to see the two teenage boys staring at her between the gap of their headrests. The kid with the smeared hair was staring at her with the same expression Buzz had whenever he looked at her.

The one with the mo-hawk glanced at his friend. 'Who?'

The gothic rolled his eyes. 'You know, that hot girl.'

The mo-hawk man looked even more confused. 'Which one?'

'The one for outer space, dude!'

'Ohhhhhh!' The punk teenager dragged out the word as realization dawned on his pimpled face. He glanced back at Mallory and frowned again. He leaned towards his friend. 'Are you sure?'

Mallory glared at him furiously. Was he sure? How stupid could he be? Obviously he'd experienced one too many brain freezes.

Before she could try and tell him how stupid he was without confusing him, she felt a tap on the shoulder. She glanced around to see the bubblegum girl poking her head through the gap between Mallory and Nosedive's headrests. The military duck realized Nosedive was looking at the new comer too and guessed the girl probably tapped him on the shoulder as well.

'Hi,' she said shyly, glancing at both of them, except her eyes lingered on Nosedive the longest. 'Um, d-do you guys mind if I have your autographs?'

Mallory glanced at Nosedive, waiting for him to answer as it was obvious the question was more directed at him and was surprised when he didn't. Usually he was so open to adulation. Now, he just looked at the girl like he hadn't even heard her.

'It would only take a minute,' the girl said quickly, red forming on her cheeks.

'Of course,' Mallory jumped in. 'We'd be happy too.' Despite wanting to strangle the girl a few seconds ago, Mallory couldn't help but feel sorry for her. All she wanted was an autograph and it wasn't like Nosedive wasn't used to doing that.

The red-head accepted the piece of paper and pen offered to her. The girl smiled, obviously thrilled, as Mallory scribbled her name. She went to hand the paper and pen to Nosedive but the teenager made no move to take the objects off her.

Sick and tired of his rudeness, she stomped on his foot. A pained grunt followed the action and Nosedive gave her a dirty look, even by Mallory's standards but he took the items off her.

Writing his name, he roughly shoved the paper and pen back at the girl.

'There,' he snapped. 'Happy now?'

The girl stared in shock at him and looked ready to burst into tears.

'Um, what's your name?' Mallory interjected and smiled warmly at the girl, trying to make up for Nosedive's rudeness. She never thought she'd see the day where she would be doing this and not the other way around.

'Hannah,' the girl said, looking more downcast as Nosedive turned back to the window, completely ignoring her.

The bus started to slow and out of the window, Mallory could see Anaheim's South Coast Plaza outside. She rose to her feet and reached into her handbag.

'Well, Hannah, how would you like …' Mallory paused as she fished out two hockey tickets from within the depths of her handbag, 'to go to our next game with a friend?'

Hannah's face lit up. 'Really?' she asked, her voice almost non-believing.

'Really,' Mallory answered, handing her the tickets as the bus came to a complete stop.

'Wow.' Hannah fingered the tickets as though they were made of gold while Mallory grabbed Nosedive's wrist, forcing him to his feet.

'Well, we really have to go,' Mallory said as she dragged Nosedive into the aisle. 'This is our stop.'

'Thank you so, so much,' Hannah called after the two ducks. She looked as though she was about to explode with happiness.

Mallory answered with a wave and stepped out of the bus. She walked down Bristol Street, weaving through the people and continued to drag Nosedive behind her. Not until she reached one of the two enclosed mall's entrances did she let go of his wrist and whirl to face him.

'What the hell is the matter with you?' she accused, hands on her hips.

The teenager stared at her, attempting to look confused but instead, looking bored. 'What?'

'What?' Mallory snapped, ignoring the looks they were getting from passersby. 'That's all you can say after how rude you were to that girl?'

Nosedive raised his eyebrows, looking haughty instead of arrogant which was more than disturbing. 'This is coming from the girl who told everyone on the bus to shut up?'

Mallory opened her beak but closed it again, growling, knowing she was defeated.

'Well, at least I had a good reason,' she said lamely, turning on her heel and marching into the shopping centre.

What she really meant to say was, 'Well, at least it's like my personality to do something like that.' Nosedive's character change was disconcerting to say the least. His rudeness and tendency to ignore her was starting to grate on her and more than anything, worry her.

FYI, the operation described to move the kidney stones is actually real. When they are really bad, doctors will make an incision in the back. I don't know why; all I know is that they do :).

Also, the shopping centre Nosedive and Mallory are going to is real and is only a hop, skip and jump away from the Pond as well as the street they are walking on. As for the cause of Wildwing's coma, I have no idea as yet. Just mission gone wrong, I guess. Not really the focus of the story anyway.

One last thing, I know Nosedive's character is slightly OOC but that is obviously by design because I thought he isn't going to be acting like a goof with his brother so sick. It works for the story anyway lol.

Anywho, reviews would be awesome and constructive criticism is more than welcome. :D


	2. Chapter 2

Just wanted to say thanks for the reviews and the follows :). They are much appreciated. Also, a big thank you to brave kid for some lovely encouragement.

Also, if anyone has any ideas as to what to name the story, please let me know. :) Now, on with the story. This part is a bit shorter than the last.

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As she entered the shopping centre, she sighed, feeling the tension leave her, and an excited smile formed on her face. Now this was her kind of meditation! Just that frosty smell of air conditioning combined with the scent of new fabric was enough to make her forget her annoyance with the stubborn teenager.

'C'mon, Nosedive,' she commanded, grabbing his wrist and dragging him along again. 'Let's get shopping!'

Ignoring his childish, 'I don't wanna',' and how he purposefully pulled against her just to be aggravating, she continued to pull him along behind her. She already had her sights set on Lavish Living, a rather expensive men and women clothes shop but she loved its style nonetheless.

Nosedive, finally fed up with having his hand held and being pulled along like a mother would to a toddler, wrenched his hand free but still trudged along behind the red head, loudly dragging his feet. Mallory spared him a scathing look and entered Lavish Living. Using all her control, she went to the right side, the men side, and crossed her arms while tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for Nosedive to catch up. He took his sweet time, slumping more than usual with his hands stuck deep within his jean pockets. Now and then, he'd kick his foot along the tiled floor at some imaginary object and mumble something under his breath.

Mallory rolled her eyes as he finally reached her, fed up with his attitude and deciding she was no longer going to tread carefully.

She began to search through one of the racks attached to the wall. 'Y' know, whenever we get back to Puckworld, I want to see your birth certificate.'

He slumped against the wall, hands still in place, and glared sulkily at the floor.

'Why?' he mumbled despite himself.

Mallory spared him another glance, raising a sceptical eyebrow. 'Because I don't see how you could possibly be sixteen with the way you act.' An aqua blue t-shirt caught her attention and she slipped it off the rack to examine it. 'I'm leaning more towards eleven. Or maybe a really immature thirteen-year-old.'

She couldn't believe it. Despite thinking they were glued there in a permanent sulk, Nosedive actually removed his hands from his pockets if it was only to cross them crankily across his chest. Maybe there was hope for good posture yet.

Nosedive continued to glower at the floor and muttered something unintelligible.

'Come again?' Mallory held the shirt up against him.

Nosedive shoved her away and leant further into the wall. 'I said leave me alone!'

'Real mature,' Mallory mocked, but she didn't let his hostility deter her as she stepped closer again. 'And don't shove!'

The teenager tried to back away but only came up against the wall behind him. He looked back and groaned.

Mallory grinned, already seeing the predicament he was going to be in before he even realized he was in it. 'I can see why you never would've joined the army. The enemy doesn't have to back you into a corner; you do it yourself.'

'Mal!' Nosedive complained but instead of his late vicious attitude, his voice was growing upset as he shifted this way and that, trying to get around Mallory. 'Get lost and go annoy someone else!'

Mallory's eyes narrowed at his words. How dare he? She'd come all this way out here with him, just to get him out of the Pond, endured a hair-raising bus trip, all the while, having to put up with his lousy mood and _she _was the annoying one? Her last shred of patience left her.

Making sure no one was near them, she curled her right leg around his left knee pit in a flash so if he tried to take a step, he'd stumble. He gasped in shock but she didn't give him time to react. She pressed her left forearm between his chest and stomach so it was right on his ribs, a sensitive spot on all male Puckworlders only if placed in the exact right place, which only few people could do but it was a talent she had acquired in hand-to-hand combat. She succeeded in pinning his arms as well, aware that she was doing it hard enough so as not to hurt him but if he moved, he'd make himself achef.

'Girl, what the hel—' he cried indignantly, trying to struggle, but was cut off as Mallory tauntingly shook the shirt in front of him.

'Now are you going to be a good boy or am I going to have to ring home to get Daddy to discipline you?' she mocked, enjoying her feeling of power.

It all disappeared in a flash though as she saw a shimmer in Nosedive's heartbroken eyes and a slight tremble of his beak as he opened it to retort. It only quivered though, no sarcastic reply there to give and he just continued to stare at her like a scared child.

With a shocked gasp, she let him go and jumped back. 'Dive, I didn't mean it, I really didn't, I just—'

He shoved past, raced out of the shop and skidded right, out of her sight, not giving her a chance to get another word out.

'Dive!' she cried and promptly shut up as she saw all the strange looks she was getting. If the outing kept up like this, she would end up being called up for harassment of a minor. Wouldn't Duke love that? If Wildwing was conscious, he would have her head.

At the thought of her leader, an impromptu lump rose in her throat. This made her suddenly furious with herself. She slapped her forehead and growled. Stars, how could she be so thoughtless as to lose it with Nosedive? The teenager's brother was in a coma for God sakes. His brother. Lord, she was upset and she wasn't even related to Wildwing.

Guilt welling up so much she would have willingly been taken hostage by Dragaunus so she would experience some of the punishment she deserved, she jogged out of the shop, planning to find the teen, apologize profusely and insist on getting him to do something that would make him feel better. Maybe prank her or use her as a punching bag. That way they could kill two birds with one stone, making him _and _her feel better as well.

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As I said, not completely sure where I'm going with this but hope yous enjoy the insanity ride anyway :D.


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